Children's home run by Reamcare Limited in Kingston upon Thames

Inspection report children’s home: SC481369 1 SC481369 Registered provider: Reamcare Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to five children and young people who have learning and/or physical disabilities. This includes permanent placements and short-break stays.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the home in October 2019. She has been succeeded by her deputy, who has applied to become the registered manager. She is presently awaiting a formal interview with Ofsted to determine her suitability for the role.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 10 to 11 February 2020

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 15 October 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC481369 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2018 Full Outstanding 12/12/2017 Full Outstanding 07/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/09/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC481369 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and control are subject to systems of regular scrutiny. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.36)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make exceptional progress at this home. Achievements include toilet training, obtaining a qualification in horse riding, and eliminating the need for prescribed medication. Excellent placement stability helps to support this progress. The four young people in the home have been in placement for a combined total of 10 years.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are immensely aspirational and support the young people to enjoy a broad range of activities. Successful engagement by the young people demonstrates an enormous achievement, given the often complex issues involved. One young person is due to experience their first aeroplane flight and a holiday to a theme park abroad. This trip is planned to celebrate her forthcoming 18th birthday.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the importance of the young people learning to develop their communication skills. The home is expertly adapted with the use of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), social story and audio boards. High-quality communication is seen as integral to the development of self-esteem and the close relationships between staff and the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Management of behaviour is highly effective. Physical restraint is rarely used. Staff understand the importance of providing consistent care to reduce young people’s anxiety levels. Young people learn how to regulate their behaviour, and this reduces the possibility of serious incidents. Feedback from placing social workers and parents supports this. One parent commented, ‘I feel privileged to have found the home.’ A social worker commented, ‘My young person has come along in leaps and bounds.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Educational progress is outstanding. Staff work in close partnership with teachers to share learning objectives and behaviour management techniques. Class teachers reported exemplary attendance and engagement in lessons. Young people regularly receive ‘star of the week’ awards from school and one young person succeeded in writing his name for the first time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff proactively support family relationships. Staff were able to trace one young person’s siblings. Following an initial period of phone calls, staff arranged a four-day family visit. Inspection report children’s home: SC481369 4 The re-establishment of a sibling relationship is hugely important for the young person concerned.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Young people are kept safe in their home and develop a strong sense of belonging. They form close and trusting relationships with staff and seek them out for hugs and reassurance.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff strive to create a warm and supportive environment. The evening meal is central to the daily routine. Staff understand the importance of language, such as referring to ‘family time’, instead of ‘contact’, when young people spend time with their relatives.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

The development of independence skills is a major strength of the home, and direct work is underpinned by current research and the use of technology. Staff use a computer programme which offers a visual and audio guide on tasks such as road safety and the importance of washing your hands.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Care plans and risk assessments are extremely detailed and they are followed consistently by staff. These documents offer a unique insight into the young people’s behaviours and the best possible means of supporting them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Observation skills and excellent knowledge of the young people help staff to identify issues early and to ensure that specialist support is put in place.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Multi-agency work is outstanding and supports rigorous planning to safeguard the young people. Staff worked closely with a local hospital to support a young person through his first operation under general anaesthetic. Excellent pre-planning resulted in minimal distress to the young person concerned.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff are extremely well trained and understand their safeguarding responsibilities. All concerns and observations are reported to allocated social workers. Staff have the confidence to work directly with the young people and address sensitive issues such as sexualised behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Succession planning is excellent. The departure of the registered manager has not affected the care of the young people. The interim manager moved into post following an extensive handover and five years as a senior care worker in the home. She is supported by a new deputy manager, who was promoted from a senior care worker position in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The interim manager is highly ambitious for children and young people. The home received official accreditation in April 2019 from a national charity that specialises in supporting young people on the autistic spectrum. The home is presently seeking approval for advanced accreditation. Inspection report children’s home: SC481369 5 Managers practice is extremely child centred. Their warmth and close relationships with the young people motivate staff and promote a strong family dynamic. Managers take clear and obvious delight in the achievements of the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff morale is very strong. Managers encourage professional development and offer a broad range of training. Staff complete additional learning of their own volition, such as researching some of young people’s health conditions and reporting back to the staff team. Staff value courses such as sign language and ‘safe touching’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Admissions are exceptionally well managed. The home has not experienced any placement disruption for nearly three years. The home offers respite to four young people throughout the year, all of whom are well matched to the young people already living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Management oversight is of a high quality, although one behavioural incident lacked impartiality, as it was reviewed by a senior member of staff who was involved in the incident. This limited a full assessment of any potential concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The independent visitor offers excellent scrutiny. He has established strong relationships with the staff and the young people over two years. His observations and action points, allied with the home’s rigorous management monitoring systems, have helped to maintain and develop high standards of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff recruitment is robust and ensures that only suitable adults care for the young people. New staff benefit from an effective induction procedure which includes an ‘observed shift’. This allows managers the opportunity to directly assess the interactions between the young people and potential staff members.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC481369 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 100 Thorkhill Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey KT7 0UW

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Inspector

Barnaby Dowell, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481369 7 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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